Chapter 182 : Chapter 182

Chapter 182. They’ll Despise You for Being Tainted

Cailin ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍raised her head, murmuring to herself, but her eyes were filled with confusion and helplessness.

At ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍this moment, she was no longer the lofty Clan Leader of the Ancient Royal Clan. She was merely a pitiful soul with nowhere to go. It was as if all her spirit had been drained away, like a withered flower drooping lifelessly there...

As ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Chu Feng looked at her in that state, a trace of barely perceptible amusement flashed through his eyes.

Although ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍he knew Cailin was in great pain at this moment, Chu Feng had always believed that short pain was better than long pain.

Cailin ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍had always remained within the Ancient Royal Clan. Though she appeared to be respected and honored by her clansmen on the surface, and though everything seemed to revolve around her, in truth she was little more than a puppet.

But ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍things would be different if she stayed by Chu Feng’s side.

By remaining with him, not only could she continue to improve her cultivation, she could also completely break free from the Ancient Royal Clan’s restraints.

What Chu Feng had done was, in a way, helping Cailin from the side. It was just that she had not yet thought that far ahead and had no idea of the painstaking care behind his intentions.

But to Chu Feng, that did not matter. He never needed others to understand what he was doing. When the day came that everything naturally fell into place, everyone would understand just how extraordinary his methods were.

So Chu Feng did not answer Cailin’s question. He simply turned around, walked back behind his desk, and picked up a Memorial once more, as if nothing had happened just now.

Cailin stood there in a daze, completely at a loss.

She now felt that Chu Feng’s analysis truly made a great deal of sense. Shi Ritian was not a good person to begin with, and after suffering so many injuries, once he returned to the Ancient Royal Clan, he would definitely sow discord.

If she chose to return now, she would undoubtedly be throwing herself straight into the line of fire.

If the Ancient Royal Clan truly regarded her as a traitor and believed Shi Ritian’s slander, then they might throw her into the dungeon and ensure that she would never see the light of day again.

If that happened, would her entire life not be utterly ruined?

On the other hand, if she stayed in the Great Chu Dynasty, then although she would still have to endure those rumors and the constant whispers around her, at the very least Chu Feng would still be by her side, and she would at least still be free to do as she wished.

That was something Cailin had only suddenly realized now. No matter what Chu Feng had done to her before, from beginning to end, he had never once forced her.

But the human heart was strange. One moment, she wanted to return to her own territory. The next, she wanted to remain here.

It felt as though fire and ice were battling each other endlessly in her mind, struggling and weighing against one another.

Cailin felt that what Chu Feng said was highly possible. Everyone feared death when faced with it, and Cailin was still in the prime of her youth. Why should she choose to walk toward death?

After a long time, she felt as though she had nearly thought her mind to pieces. Unable to bear it any longer, she bit her lip and slowly shuffled over to the desk. Lowering her head, she spoke in a voice as soft as a mosquito’s hum:

“Well... you... tell me, what should I do now? I can’t go back to the Ancient Royal Clan, but if I stay here, people will keep talking about me. Then what am I supposed to do? Am I supposed to stay here and suffer in silence?”

Chu Feng lifted his eyes and looked at her awkward, bashful appearance, the corners of his lips curving slightly upward.

He set the Memorial down and rose from his chair. Sunlight streamed in from outside the window and fell across him, gilding him in a layer of golden radiance.

At that moment, Chu Feng looked like an immortal who had stepped out of a painting.

He walked over to Cailin and looked down at her. Then, suddenly, he smiled...

There was three parts amusement in that smile, three parts wild arrogance, and four parts absolute confidence.

“What should you do? I think you really are confused... The choice is so obvious. Can’t you see it?”

Chu Feng bent slightly, leaning close to her ear. His deep voice carried a bewitching quality. “Wouldn’t it be better to become one of my Great Chu Dynasty’s people? Tell me honestly—while you’ve been by my side, when have I ever let you suffer any grievance?

Whenever others say anything, I always prove your innocence on the spot. And haven’t you noticed that in these days by my side, your cultivation has already advanced quite a bit?

Yes, there are voices gossiping around you. But is this really the courage expected of the leader of the Heaven-Devouring Python Clan? Don’t you know how to prove yourself to them? Faced with just a few unpleasant words, all you know how to do is retreat?

If that is the case, then wouldn’t you find it even harder to endure after returning to the Ancient Royal Clan? So just stay obediently as my woman. I guarantee that you will live in comfort and abundance, free from all worries for the rest of your life. And I will make sure that everyone respects you. Isn’t that far better than going back?

Besides, the entire Ancient Royal Clan already knows that you have become my woman, Chu Feng’s woman. Do you really think you still have the face to return and confront them? They will definitely regard you as something unclean. Forget respecting you—they will probably despise you.”

Cailin trembled all over and abruptly lifted her head, meeting those smiling eyes. Her cheeks instantly flushed red.

At that moment, she felt both ashamed and furious.

What embarrassed her was that she could not understand how this man, Chu Feng, could speak of matters between men and women so matter-of-factly.

What angered her was the same thing. At the same time, she was even more furious because Chu Feng had struck straight at her deepest pain.

She was no longer the pure and spotless Clan Leader of the Heaven-Devouring Python Clan she once had been. Her Seven-Colored Spiritual Aura had already been stripped away by a human. Once she returned, she would surely face condemnation from everyone.

No one would accept a woman like that.

Even the Ancient Royal Clan would only see her as a disgrace.

“You... you...”

Cailin stammered for a long while, yet she still could not force out a complete sentence.

Because Chu Feng was speaking the truth, and she had no idea how to refute him.

In the end, she could only accept it in silence.

Chu Feng, however, had already straightened up and started walking toward the door with his hands clasped behind his back.

When he reached the doorway, he tossed out one final sentence without even turning his head:

“I’ll tell you this one last time. If you want to go back, I won’t object, and I can even send you back. But you had better think clearly about those consequences and whether you can bear them.

As for the other choice, that is to continue staying here with us. I will do everything in my power to protect you, and I absolutely will not let you suffer any grievance. So think carefully about which kind of life you want to choose.

Once you have made up your mind, come find me in the Imperial Garden. No matter what you choose, I will do everything I can to fulfill it.”

“You stole my Seven-Colored Spiritual Aura. The only reason I’ve ended up like this is because of you. Would you really be that kind-hearted?” Cailin shouted angrily.

Chu Feng merely grinned. “It is precisely because I took your most precious thing that I intend to take responsibility for you.

“After all, I am the ruler of the Great Chu Dynasty. Did you think just any woman could stay by my side? So this is the only chance I’m giving you. Think it over carefully yourself. Don’t change your tune from one day to the next.”

By the time his words fell, Chu Feng had already disappeared beyond the doorway.